This invention relates to a fluid filter sealing device and, more particularly, to a sealing gasket device for a fluid filter of the spin-on, throw-away type.
The spin-on, throw-away type of fluid filter is now commonly used as the oil filter for motor vehicles because this filter is inexpensive to mass produce and easy to install and replace. This fluid filter typically has an open end with a threaded aperture and is spun onto a threaded stud of a filter mount on the engine block or the like. An annular sealing gasket is retained at the open end of the fluid filter by a retainer channel for providing a fluid seal between the filter and the filter mount, thereby preventing fluid leakage therebetween. An example of a spin-on, throw-away type filter is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,168,237, issued to Pickett et al., which is commonly assigned to the assignee of the present invention.
One of the common and continuing problems of the known type of spin-on oil filters and related sealing gasket devices is ensuring an effective fluid seal between the filter and the engine block or filter mount. The conventional spin-on filter employs a solid, squarely shaped, resilient annular sealing gasket which is positioned in an annular retainer channel formed in an end plate of the filter.
When the spin-on filter is attached to the filter mount, friction, twisting, and compressive forces act on the sealing gasket between the end plate of the filter and the filter mount. These forces put great strains on the annular sealing gasket. The gasket can become deformed or can be caused to lie "off-center" of the retainer channel.
Once the filter is installed on the filter mount, fluid circulated through the filter also exerts a great amount of pressure against the sealing gasket. More particularly, the fluid passing through the filter exerts a high pressure force radially outwardly against the inside peripheral wall of the gasket. This pressure can cause deformation of the gasket and subsequent leakage of the fluid around the gasket. The spin-on filter sealing gasket leakage problems from high fluid pressures is acute because at the upper portion of the sealing gasket, i.e., between the filter mount and the retainer channel, there is no peripheral support. Thus, the prior art fluid sealing gasket devices display fluid leakage problems because of imperfect sealing by the sealing gasket when the filter is installed and used on the engine block or filter mount.
The basic reason these prior art gaskets leak is because they lack the ability to effectively control the forces at installation and the outward high pressure exerted by the fluid while the filter is in use.
Thus, it can be seen that the known prior art sealing gasket devices for spin-on, throw-away type oil filters continue to have fluid sealing and leakage problems. None of the known prior art devices have the novel features of the invention disclosed herein for eliminating such sealing and leakage problems while maintaining a low-cost, easily mass-produced filter.